Bridge span



R. G. LE TOURNEAU BRIDGE- SPAN Original Filed Sept. 22,

Dec. 14, 1943.

1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN7OR G.Le7burneau A TTORNEYS- 14, 1943. R. G. LE TOURNEAU BRIDGE SPAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Sept. 22, 1941 INVENTOR. R. G. Le7burn eau,

: Q?TT S Patented Dec. 14, 1943 BRIDGE SPAN Robert G. Le Tourneau, Peoria, Ill., assignor to R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., Stockton, Calif., a corporation of California Original application September 22, 1941, Serial No. 411,829. Divided and this application October 30, 1942, Serial No. 463,893

8 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a bridge or overpass structure, and in particular the invention is directed to, and it is the principal object to provide, a bridge span of unique construction.

This application is a division of copending application Serial No. 411,829, filed September 22, 1941, on Portable bridge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bridge span which is of general utility, although especially designed for use in a portable bridge such as is shown in the above identified application.

An additional object is to construct the side beams or girders of the span so that in use they function not only as supporting members but also as wheel guards which prevent hub caps, fenders, and running boards of motor vehicles frein engaging said beams, and prevent tires from being scufied.

The structure of the span further embodies a novel feature in the manner in which box beam floor joie 3 are connected with the side or girders; the use of connecting irons or straps being eliminated, and in addition the load on each joist is distributed or transmitted through the side girders to the other joists of the span.

A still further object is to provide a bridge span which includes side beams or girders of novel form arranged in combination With an open or grate type of fiooring.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevational outline of a threesection portable bridge embodying spans constructed in accordance with the present inventien.

Figure 2 is a plan view of a pair of the spans detached from each other but in adjacent end to end relation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, enla1ged, longitudinai section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged, transverse section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, transverse section of a modification and shows the novel side girders as arranged in combination with a special type of flooring.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on line G6 of Fig. 5. v

Re:erring now more particularly to the char actcrs of reference on the drawings, and par ticularly at present to Figs. 1 to 4, a-plurality of the spans i may be embodied in a portable bridge wherein said spans are detachably hinged together at adjacent ends as at 2, and supported by detachable leg nuits 3 which connect With said spans adjacent the hinges; the outer ends of the endmost spans overhanging the bank B, for example, of a stream bed S across which the bridge extends. To facilitate passage of vehicles onto the endmost spans, each of the latter is fitted with an approach ramp 4 hinged at one end onto the adjacent end of the span and resting at the other end on the ground.

Each of the spans I, which may be of any desired length, comprises transversely spaced side beams or girders 5 of box beam construction which in cross section are of trapezoidal form; the outer plate 5a being vertical, the top plate 5b cf lesser width but greater thickness than the bottom plate 50, and the inner plate 5d disposed at an upward and outward slope from its lower edge. The top plate 51) being thicker than the bottom plate 50, there is no loss of strength even though the top plate is relatively narrow.

Box beam joists 6 extend transversely in longitudinally spaced relation and at their ends enter the side girders through inner plate 5d and project to a termination in abutment with outer plate 5a; the portion of the joists in girders 5 resting on bottom plate 50. As so assembled, the joists and side girders are welded into rigid and unitary assembly; a transverse reinforceing plate P being secured between each joist and the top plate 5b thereabove.

By reason of the above arrangement, a cantilever action is had on both ends of the box beam floor joist, imparting more strength to each joist because the wheel load on one joist is distributed or transmitted through the side girders to all the other joists of the span.

Metal plate ooring l seats on and is welded to the joists and extends from end to end of the span between the inner girder plates 501 to which it is likewise welded. As the inner plates 501 of the side girders slope upward and outward, an

effective wheel guard is provided, preventing wheel or body contact, as well as tire scuffing.

When used in multiple, the several spans of the bridge are hinged together by means of the following:

Ears 8 of plate form are secured on edge against and depend from the bottom plate 50 of the side girders and project longitudinally beyond the ends of the latter; these ears being elongated and provided With an upstanding tongue 9 which project5 through a slot S into and is secured to the girder between the end joist 6 and a transverse reinforcing plate l0.

In order that the spans can be connected together regardless of which ends thereof are brought together, a pair of the ears B, spaced apart, project from opposite ends of opposite side girders, and the remaining opposite ends of such girders have a single ear disposed to project snugly between the pair of ears which will be adjacent and on the next span (see Fig. 2). These ears 8 are formed with matching holes Il through which bolts engage when the hinge ears are brought into position.

The ramps 4 include ears l2 disposed for cooperative and bolted engagement with ears 8 on the adjacent end of the corresponding spans.

The spans of the bridge are supported by the leg units heretofre generally indicated at 3 in Fig. 1; such leg units being attached to the spans adjacent one end of the latter and always in the same corresponding position on the different spans. Leg attachment holes I3 are formed in ears 8 back of holes Il for the: span connecting bolts. Knee braces 14 detachably connect diagonally between the upper portion of the legs 3 and a bracket secured on the bottom plate 50 of the corresponding side gircler.

In Figs. 5 and 6, a span is shown With a special type of open flooring such as s known under the trade-name I-Beam-Lok. This type of fiooring is of relatively light weight and yet quite strong and in some instances may be used instead of the metal plates 1. As this open fiooring, indicated at 15, includes a plurality of transverse I beams I6 in spaced, parallel relation, the joists 6 previously described are eliminated, and the fiooring entends from side to side of the span and into the side girders Il t0 a termination at the outer plates lla thereof and resting on the bottom plates [10; being secured to both thereof as by welding. The inner plates ll'd of the side girders extend at an upward and outward slope from longitudinally extending shoes or strips I8 secured atop the flooring [5. Top plates I'lb connect horizontally between the inner and outer plates to complete the side girders. Vertical reinforcing plates 19 are secured transvcrselif Within the side guides, being symmetrical to the interior thereof and engaging or seating on the upper edge of said I beams l. A finish channel 20 connects the side girdeis Il at their ends, and if necessary a longitudinal supporting beam 2! may be applied to the underside of flooring l5 centrally between the side girders.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a structure as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While tnis specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the structure, still in practi such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bridge span comprising transversely spaced. parallel side girders, said. girders being hollow box beams, adjacent sides of said girders being continuons plates and sloping upward and outward. transverse joists extending between and projecting through said plates into said girders and resting on the bottom of the latter, and flooring secured on said joists; the flooring being disposed some distance below the top of said girders.

2. In a bridge span comprising hollow side girders, and a flooring assembly extending between and mounted in connection With said girders, said flooring assembly including longitudinally spaced, transverse supporting beams having end portions projecting into and secured to said girders; symmetrical reinforcing plates secured transversely Within the girders and seating on said end portions of the supporting beams.

3. A bridge span comprising side girders, said girders being hollow box beams, the bottom of said box beams being a fiat plate, longitudinally spaced transverse supporting beams extending between and projecting in secured relation into said side girders parallel to and resting on the bottom of the latter, and a fiooring on said transverse supporting beams.

4. A bridge span comprising box beam side girders of trapezoidal configuration in crosssection, the top and bottom girder plates being parallel and the inner side girder plates sloping upward and outward, said bottom plates being fiat rectangular box beam fioor joists extending transversely between the side girders and projecting thereinto parallel to and in engagement With said bottom girder plates, means securing the joists and girders together, and flooring supported by said joists.

5. A bridge span as in claim 3 in which said flooring is of open type and includes said supporting beams in unitary relation.

6. A bridge span comprising transversely spaced, parallel side girders, said girders being hollow, transverse joists extending between and projecting into said girders, a fiooring on said joists between the girders, and means on each span adjacent its ends arranged for connection with the end of an adjacent and like span, said means including a plurality of longitudinally extending attachment ears being cf plate form secured on edge against and depending from the bottom of a side girder, each of said ears including an upstanding tongue, the corresponding side girder being slotted and the tongue projecting therethrough, and means rigidly securing said tongue in said girder.

7. A bridge span comprising transversely spaced, parallel side girders, said girders being hollow, transverse joists extending between and projecting into said girders, a fiooring on said joists between the grders, and means on each span adjacent its ends arranged for connection with the end of an adjacent and like span, said means including a plurality of longitudinally extending attachment ears cf plate form secured on edge against and depending from the bottom of a side girder, each of said ears including an upstanding tongue, the corresponding side girders being slotted and the tongue projecting therethrough, and means rigidly securing said tongue in said girder; each tongue being secured between one of the joists and a transverse reinforcing plate fixed in said corresponding girder.

8. A bridge span comprising side girders, said girders being of hollow box-beam construction, the bottom plates of said beams being fiat and the adjacent sides of said girders being continuous plates terminating at their lower edges some distance above said bottom plates, and flooring extending between said girders and projecting thereinto below said adjacent side plates and seating on said bottom plates, said fiooring being of an open type and including supporting beams in unitary relation, and a longitudinally extending shoe fixed along the lower edge of each side plate and seating atop the adjacent portion of said open type flooring.

ROBERT GILMORE LE'TOURNEA. 

